“So, he had parents, but he was basically alone,” I said in a small, quiet voice, almost to myself.
“Pretty much,” Alex replied. “We started hanging out more, and eventually, I joined his trips. He even paid for the first few since I couldn’t afford them. Or my rent,” Alex chuckled.
“Joined at the hip,” Ava added.
After a moment, Logan, Ethan, and Luke approached us with surfboards in hand. And that’s when it happened—the unsolicited live-action thirst trap unfolding before my eyes. Luke unzipped his wetsuit and peeled it down to his waist, revealing abs so cut they looked like they should have come with an instruction manual and a liability waiver.
It was like my brain had switched to slow motion. The way his shoulders shifted as he dragged the wetsuit down, the rippleof muscle along his torso, the droplets of saltwater tracing a path from his hair down the curve of his neck. Each bead seemed to glint in the sun before sliding lower, and I couldn’t look away. A wave of heat unfurled low in my stomach, then shot through me so fast it stole my breath. Thank God I was already damp from the beach. I felt like I was sweating, and not in a sexy kind of way.
The memory of his hands on me collided with the sight of him now and sent me spiraling. I had to look away or else... I don’t know. I felt shallow just for letting myself notice.
He was like a free chocolate sample that lures you into buying the whole box. I kept refusing. And yet they kept offering—bigger and better each time. The coffee shop flirting, the airplane bathroom, his hands on me in the photo booth. And now this. I was overdosing on sugar, and my self-control was cracking.
His big, solid body pinning me to the sand, hips grinding into mine while I stared up at the night sky.
Wait! That never happened.
I blinked hard just as Luke stepped in front of me, snapping me back to reality. Forcing me to act like a normal human being instead of a shameless, love-drunk horndog.
“Hi.” His smile felt as if it were made just for me.
“Hey.” I squinted against the sun, shading my eyes with my hand. Unfortunately, my gaze dropped to the dark trail of hair below his belly button. I swallowed hard. It was too hot, but undressing wasn’t an option. Not when I felt this worked up.
But then again, it was just a physical attraction. Nothing more. I wouldn’t want to end up on his “been-there-done-that” list. Not that I blamed them. Apparently, resisting this body was nearly impossible. I swallowed again and forced my eyes elsewhere.
Luke grabbed a water bottle and downed half of it, letting some drip onto his chest. Then he checked his phone.
“Any news?” Ethan asked.
“Checking,” Luke muttered, eyes glued to the screen.
“Hey!” a voice called out behind us. I turned to see Summer and Norah heading our way.
“Just checking for updates on the project,” Luke replied without lifting his eyes.
“You promised no work!” Summer threw a twig at his head, and he quickly ducked.
“Chill, woman. I’m just reading so we can avoid a crisis later,” he replied.
“We’re still undecided on key collaborators for this account,” Ethan added. “It could shape the company’s future. If only we could randomly bump into Matthew Watson on this beach and pitch him.” Ethan gazed dreamily at the sky.
Luke let out a sharp laugh. “He’d be perfect.”
“Who’s that?” Norah asked.
“A famous writer who’s been off the grid for years. Apparently, he’s here in Portugal,” Ethan said, glancing at me.
“Well, I don’t know about this beach particularly, but you could bump into him in an organized, not creepy kind of way,” I replied, finishing my drink. When I looked up, Luke’s deep brown eyes were locked on me.
“What do you mean?” His expression was sharp and focused, like he was delegating tasks at work. Business Luke. A bloodhound.
“He was my mentor when I studied here. I could call and ask if he’d want to meet. No promises, but I can try.”
Ethan, Alex, and Luke were all staring at me like I’d talked Portuguese with them, not comprehending a word.
“Hazel, are you serious?” Luke stepped closer, the distance between us suddenly shrinking.
“Yes, of course. No problem.”
